Apparatus for supplying water to concrete mixers



May 1, 1945.. 2,374,970

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER T0 CONCRETE MIXERS C. F. BALL ET AL v 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1942 Wu M014 CHARLES F. BALL AND GEORGE K.VIALL M y 1, 19 5 cl F. BALL Em 2,374 970 APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATERTO CONCRETE MIXERS Filed April 7, 1942 2 sheets sheet 2 FWKFFFFFFPPPP(n- 0 &

on \I o Er a ill ffii CHARLES F. BALL /4 AND h GEORGE K.\ /|ALL PatentedMay 1, 1945 NT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER T CONCRETE MIXERSCharles F. Ball, Franklin, Pa., and George K. van,

gnors to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wis-Milwaukee, Wis., assi consin Application April 7, 1942, Serial No.438,040

2 Claims.

The invention relatesto concrete mixers, and

more particularly to apparatus for supplying water to the mixingreceptacles thereof, andhas for one of its objects the provision ofmechanism of this character which is of relatively simple yet durableconstruction, and which will be extremely and efiicient over a widerange in measuring and supplying any required quantity of water for abatch of concrete. i While adaptable in principle to mixers of varioustypes it is especially applicable to mobile mixers of the truck-mountedtype, and for purposes of disclosure it will be here described inconnection with such a mixer. It is common practice in such mixers toprovide a water-carrying tank having two compartments, in-the main orlarger one of which the water necessary for the production of the batchof concrete. is carried, while the smaller compartment contains .anadditional quantity of water to be introduced into the mixing receptacleafter the mixed batch has been discharged, for the purpose of flushingor washing out the said receptacle. The discharge from the twocompartments is generally controlled by separate valves whereby thewater in each may be transferred in whole or in part to the mixingreceptacle at the volition of the operator, and the main compartment atleast is usually provided with means which can be adjusted to variablypredetermine the quantity of water which will be discharged therefromwhen its discharge valve is-opened. In some cases the flow of water fromthe water tank compartments is solely by gravity, while in others acentrifugal or other power driven pump is introduced into the linebetween the tank and the mixing receptacle whereby the water may beforced into the aggregates in the latter under materially greaterpressure and in considerably less time than can be attained by gravityflow. Sight gauges are also provided in most instances whereby thequantity of water in either or both compartments may be readily observedat all times.

A principal phase of the present invention has relation to the measuringmeans whereby variably predetermined quantities of water may bedischarged from the water tank, or from the main compartment thereof ifit be of the twocompartment type, when the valve controlling thedischarge is opened, with the objectof providing a construction whichwill enable the utilization of either the full capacity or only part ofthe capacity of the watertanl: or comparte ment, and the accuratepredetermination of the quantity, of water to be discharged under eithercondition by a single measuring means. v A further object of theinvention is to provide means'in conjunction with the variable quantitydetermining member for insuring a sharp cutoff of the flow of water,without dribble, when the desired amount has been discharged, therebyinsuring substantially absolute accuracy in the quantity of waterfurnished to the batch. I With the'above and other objects in view whichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel details of construction and combinations of parts more fullyhere,- inafter. disclosed, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawingsforming a part of this specification, in which like reference charactersdesignate likeparts throughout the several views.

In the said drawings, wherein there is shown for purposes of disclosurebut not of limitation, one exemplification of the invention as appliedto a, truck-mounted concrete mixing unit of a well known inclined-axisrotatable drum type:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the forward end ofsuch a unit, with one form of water tank and measuring mechanismconstructed and arranged in accordance with the invention in placethereon;

Figure 2 is an elevational view, on a somewhat larger scale, of one endportion of the tank and of the said measuring mechanism shown in Figure1, as seen from the right of said figure;

Figure 31s a partial sectional-elevational view, taken approximately onthe planes indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows; A a

, Figure 41 is a partial longitudinal sectionalelevational view, takenpproximately on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a sectional-plan view, taken on the plane indicatedby theline 5-5 of Figure 4, lookingdown; A

Figure 6 is an elevational view of atypical scale card for use with thesight gauge of the main compartment of the tank when employing themechanism of the present invention; and

,Figure '7 is an elevational view of a corresponding typical scale cardfor use with the measuring mechanism itself. Referring more particularlyto the said drawings, It indicates a concrete mixing drum mounted in aframework H for power-driven rotation about an inclined axis l2, in amanner analogous to that disclosed in prior U. S. Patent No. 2,045,- 532granted June 23, 1936, on an application filed -22 and a wash 2 by JohnC. Merwin and Charles F. Ball. As here shown, the said frameworkincludes or carries at its upper forward portiona pair of transverselyspaced bracket members l3 which cradle and support the water tank l4.This tank may be of any suitable construction and form, being here shownas substantially rectangular in both cross and longitudinal section,with a top wall l5, bottom wall [6, side walls I1 and I8, and end wallsl9 and 20. As best shown in Figures 4 and 5, the tank is providedinteriorly with the transverse partition 2 I, dividing it into a maincompartment water compartment 23. The top wall I5 is provided with the,filling openings 24 and 25 through which water may be introduced intothe respective compartments, which openings are normally closed by thecaps or closures 26 and 21.

Within the main compartment 22 is a vertical overflow pipe .36 whichextends through the bottom wall It of the tank, being providedexteriorly thereof with a control valve 3| operable by means of a handleor lever 32, see Figure 3. The upper end of this pipe is open, as shownat 33 in Figure 4, and is located a predetermined distance above thetank bottom IS, with the result that when the valve 3| is open water maybe introduced into the compartment 22 only to the level of the said openend 33, with any excess flowing down through the pipe 3|! and valve 3|and being discharged on the ground. On the other hand, with the valve 3|closed, water may be introduced into the'said compartment to completelyfill the same. The quantity of water which may be retained in thecompartment 22 with the valve 3| open, and its ratio to the totalcapacity of the compartment, of course may vary according to the size ofthe mixer and/or other conditions, but in the illustratedembodiment-which is a tank for what is known to the trade as a 4 yardmixer-the total capacity. of the main compartment 22 is 155 gallons,while its retention capacity with the valve 3| open is 95 gallons. Thepurpose-of this feature will be explained more fully below.

' The mechanism for variably predetermining the quantity of water whichwill be discharged when the control valve for compartment 22 is openedincludes an adjustable conduit or tube 35.

This may take a variety of forms, but to avoid the necessity forpacking, stuffing boxes, glands and the like, it preferably comprises anaccordion pleated tube analogous to that disclosed in the prior U. S.Patent No. 1,913,301 granted June 6,

1933. The said conduit 35 is mounted within and guided by a tube 36extending through and supported by the upper wall l5 of the tank, andhaving a plurality of longitudinal slots 31 in its walls through whichthe water may enter to the said conduit. The upper end of the tube 36may be closed by a removable cover plate 38, as shown in Figures 3 and4. The lower end portions of the conduit 35 and the tube 36 project intoa well 39 extending below the bottom wall I6 of the tank, the lower endof which well is closed by-a plate 40 having anelbow passage or duct 4|,to the flange 42 of which the lower end of the accordion conduit 35 issecured, as will be readily understood from Figure 4.

- The upper end of conduit 35 is securedto a sleeve 45'having a,plurality of radial arms 46 forming a spiderlike connection with thelower end of a cap member 41. As will beclear from the said Figure 4,this cap member is of larger diameter than the-sleeve 45,-and its lowerend is zontal and substantially positioned somewhat below the upper endof the sleeve, thereby providing an annular passage 48 between the twowhich in effect constitutes a very short leg of a siphon, the longer legof which is provided by the accordion conduit 35. Since the axis of thepassage 48 is always vertical and the lower edge of the cap member 41defining the admission port to the said passage is always horiparallelto the plane of the water surface, this arrangement secures a sharpcut-off of the water when the predetermined quantity has beendischarged, for when the water level reaches the plane of the lower endof the cap 41, air is admitted to the annular passage 46, immediatelydestroying the siphonic action, and since the upper end of the sleeve 45is above and parallel to the water level, a sharp cut-off withoutdribble is obtained.

The 'cap member 41 is connected to the outer forked end of theoscillating arm 50 by means of a pin 5| engaging in slots .52 in thelegs 53 of the fork, said pin also passin through an opposed pair of theslots 31 in the tube 36, whereby the said pin, cap member 41 andaccordion conduit 35 are guided in their vertical movements, as will bereadily understood. The arm 56 is rigidly carried by a shaft 54journaled, in a bearing member 55 which extends through and is securedto the wall l8 of the tank. The outer end of the shaft 54 rigidlycarries an arm 56, which may be of a bifurcated construction,as-indicated at 51, to embrace and pivotally mounta threaded block ornut 58 the aperture of which receives the threaded rod or shaft 59. Thisshaft is journaled in a bearing 66 which is mounted on a plate 6| rigidwith the bearing member 55, for oscillation about an axis at rightangles to that of the shaft or rod 59. This oscillatory mounting of therod accommodateslateral movement thereof and of the block 58 occasionedby the arcuate swing of the pivotal connection of the latter with theend of the arm 56. Below the bearing 60 the said rod carries anoperating handle62 by mean of which the rod may be rotated in eitherdirection to screw the nut 58 axially of the rod, thereby swinging thearm 56, shaft 54 and arm 50 in one direction or the other to raise orlower. the cap member 41 and extend or collapse the accordion conduit35. The pitch of the threads on the rod 59 is such that the threadingaction is irreversible, i. e. pressure on the nut 58 by the weight ofthe parts 35, 41, 50 and 56 tending to move it axially of the rod willnot produce rotation of the rod, and the construction is thereforeselflocking to retain the cap member 41 and conduit 35 in any positionto which they may be adjusted.

The shaft 54 also rigidly carries an arm 65 which is pivotally connectedat 66 to an indicator arm 61, pivoted at 68 to the plate 6|. Theindicator arm 61 has an angularly disposed extension 66 which travels infront of a scale card 10 carried by a bracket 1| rigidly mounted by theplate 6|. It will therefore be readily understood that as the positionsof the cap member 41 and conduit 35 are varied byarcuate movements ofthe shaft 54 and arm 56, the indicatorarm 61 will be correspondinglyswung on its pivot-68 by its connections 65 and 66 with the shaft 54, sothat the extension 69 will visibly indicate on the scale 10 the settingof the-conduit 35 and cap 41.

A sight gauge or glass 13 having a scale card 14 associated with it isprovided whereby the quantity of water in the wash water compartment 23may be visibly indicated; and-a similar gauge or glass 15 having ascalecard 16 is prothe pump 81which videdzfor' the main compartmentn; Thecard 16, as best shown iniFigure 6, is provided with appropriategraduations 11. having 'two sets of indicia 18 and 18' associatedtherewith. The former start atzero and run to the full capacity of thetank or compartment, while the latter run from zero to :theretentioncapacity of the comv partment when the valve 31 is open.

As best shown: in Figure 7,. the sale card 18 for saidretention capacityof. the compartment, as

did the indicia 19 on card 110, but are, arranged inreverse order, 1. erreading down, they extend from the retention capacity to zero. The fullcapacity indicia 8 I capacity indicia 82,,range downwardly from the fullcapacity limit, or, in the example shown, from I55 down to 60.

Water from the main compartment 22, flowing through the accordionconduit 35 and passage 4|, reaches the control valve 85 which, whenopened, permits it to continue to pipe 86. In gravity installations'thispipe may lead into the mixing drum ID; in force feed installationssuchas here illustrated, it may lead to the intake side of a centrifugalor other pump 81, the outlet side of which is connected as by a pipe 88,to the said drum. 23 flows through a duct or passage 98 providedalongthebottom wall l6 of the tank, and a pipe S-l, to a control valve92 which, when open, passes it to the pipe 86 also. The valves 85 and 92may be entirely separate, but for convenience may be combined in asingle structure, as shown in Figure 4, where they may be alternativelyactuated by an arm 93 operable by a lever or handle 94.

As above indicated the present apparatus is susceptible of use in twoways in each of which.

the same settings of the members 35 and 4'! are employed but diiferentresults obtained insofar as the quantity of water supplied to the mixerdrum is concerned. First assuming that a batch of concrete equivalent tothe rated capacity of the mixer is desired, the full tank method ofoperation will be employed to supply the water therefor, i. e. the waterwill be introduced into the compartment 22 through its filling opening24 ,With'the valve 3| of the over-flow pipe closed and the compartmentWill be filled to its full capacity. The diiference between the fullcapacity of the compartment and the retention capacity when charged withthe over-flow valve 3| open, in the present instance 60 gallons, is lessthan the total amount of water which would be required for a fullcapacity or say a 4 yard batch of even the lowest slump. Therefore ifthe accordion conduit 35 be extended so that the lower edge of the capmember 41 is at substantially the same level as the top of the over-flowpipe 30, which in practice is the upper most limit to which the capmember may be raised and corresponds to the 60 gallon graduation on thescale 8|, then on opening the valve 85 by means of the lever'94, waterwill flow through the conduit 35, passage 4|, valve 85 and pipe 86 to pon the other hand, while 1 covering the same quantity as the fretentionWater from the wash water compartment of the cap 41 to correspond to thedesired amount.

case the initial fixed due the desired slump in in turn will force itthrough the pipe 88 intothe mixing drum [0. :This flow will continueuntilthe water level reaches theplane of the, lower edge of thecapmember 41 whereupon air will be admittedto the short leg 48 of thesiphon breaking the siphonic action and causing a harp cut-01f whichinsures that exactly gallons has been passed to the pump and into thedrum. This action of course takes place tities of water in 5'gallonamount or less upon re-opening of the valve 85. Should'furtherwater be necessary or desirable i'o tempering the batch further'loweringof the conduit 35 andcap member 41 will set the apparatus to supply anysuch additional amounts up to the full; capacity of'the tank, say, 155gallons. It will thus beseen thatin this mode of operation a fixedinitial amount of water which is at least not greater than'the totalamount which will be necessary f or -the batch, is dischargedinto thedrum at one time and that without the necessity of refilling the tankany required additional amounts may be supplied by merely adjusting thesetting of the member 41. Of course if it be known in advance that morethan 60 gallons will be required to proany particular batch of concretethe initial quantity may be raised above the 60 gallon mark by firstadjusting the position In other words should it be known that 125gallons at least will be required for a batch this amount may bedischarged at one time by first setting the member 41 at the 125 gallonlevel.

It sometimes happens however that it may be desired to mix less than acapacity batch of concrete in the'mixing drum; for instance the occasionmay arise where it is desired to mix only one cubic yard in a 4 yarddrum and in this quantity of water, say 60 gallons, would be too greatfor such a batch. In such case the second mode of operation of theapparatus would be employed whereby when filling the compartment 22 thevalve 3| of the overflow pipeis opened so that no matter how much watermay b 'introduced intothe compartment not more than 95 gallons will beretained therein with the excess discharging through the fixed over-flowpipe 30. Since as above mentioned the upper limit of adjustment of thecap member 47 is substantially that of the retention capacity of thecompartment, with the compartment thus filled to only its retentioncapacity water may be supplied to the pump 81 and drum Ill in anydesired amounts by merely lowering the cap 41 to the required level.

In operating under the first or full tank method the settings of the capmember 41 are read upon the left hand graduations of the scale card I0by means of the indicia 8| associated therewith and the amount of waterwhich has been supplied to the drum is read upon the left handgraduations of the gauge card 76 by means of the indicia 18 associatedtherewith. On the other hand when employing the second or over-flow pipemethod ofv operation the settings oi the 4 member 11 :are read upon theright hand graduations oithe card 10 bymeans of the indioia 82 and thetotalamount of water which has been supplied to the drum will beindicated by the in- ,dicia 19 at the right hand side of gauge card 16.In pressure systems such as here illustrated, employing a pump 81 forforcing the water into the materials within the mixing drum to, suchpump insures or materially aids in the ,re-establishment of the siphonicaction, particularly where the additionalwater is to be supplied inrather small amounts and intake of the conduit 35 is consequentlylowered only a relatively small distance each time.

While in compliance with the patent statutes one form of the inventionhas been illustrated and described in order that others may practice thesame, it will be obvious that those skilled in theart to which itpertains may vary the precise details of construction and arrangement ofparts and substitute equivalents thereof Without departing from thespirit of the invention and therefore it is not intended to be limitedto the above disclosure except as may be required by the state of theprior art.

.What is claimed is: I -1. In apparatus for supplying water to themixing chamber of a concrete mixer, a water receptacleia verticallyadjustable outlet conduit in the receptacle for discharging watertherefrom to the mixing chamber in successive predeterminable amounts,said conduit having a short siphon leg at its intake end having anadmission port uncoverable by the water level as it falls toautomatically out ofi the flow without dribble when each redeterminedamount has been discharged; valve means for controlling said eonduit;and means insuring-re-establishment of the siphonic action uponadjustment of the conduit to determine the succeeding amounts to bedischarged; Y

2. In apparatus for supplying water to the mixing drum of a concretemixer, a water receptacle; a vertically adjustable accordion outletconduit in said receptacle for discharging water therefrom to the drum;an oscillatory arm in the receptacle for'extending and contracting saidconduit to determine the amount of water discharged therethrough; aguide tube carried by the receptacle surrounding said conduit and havingelongated slots to admit water to the con duit; and operatingconnections betweensaid arm and conduit, extending through certain ofsaid slots.

i CHARLES F. BALL. GEORGE K. VIALL.

